Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
distanciamiento
English translation:
(is / can be slightly) off-putting
Added to glossary by
María Eugenia Wachtendorff
Jul 8, 2015 02:23
8 yrs ago
10 viewers *
Spanish term
Chile
40 Years Business, Legal, Certificates
Native in: Spanish 
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish, Spanish to English
distanciamiento
Spanish to English
Other
Human Resources
General
In a candidate's psychological profile:
Se preocupa de entrenar las competencias de su equipo favoreciendo la productividad de los mismos y el alineamiento con las definiciones estratégicas de la organización. En su comunicación, se percibe asertivo en definir una dirección a sus colaboradores aunque su estilo directo para transmitir su juicio crítico ***genera un leve grado de distanciamiento.*** Pese a ello, consigue administrar situaciones conflictivas negociando acuerdos o soluciones basadas en criterior objetivos que facilitan adquirir una misma perspectiva sobre las dificultades al separar las personas del problema.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Se preocupa de entrenar las competencias de su equipo favoreciendo la productividad de los mismos y el alineamiento con las definiciones estratégicas de la organización. En su comunicación, se percibe asertivo en definir una dirección a sus colaboradores aunque su estilo directo para transmitir su juicio crítico ***genera un leve grado de distanciamiento.*** Pese a ello, consigue administrar situaciones conflictivas negociando acuerdos o soluciones basadas en criterior objetivos que facilitan adquirir una misma perspectiva sobre las dificultades al separar las personas del problema.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Proposed translations
(English)
References
| Distanciamiento |
patinba
|
Change log
Jul 9, 2015 05:55: María Eugenia Wachtendorff changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/37522">María Eugenia Wachtendorff's</a> old entry - "distanciamiento"" to ""(is / can be slightly) off-putting / disconcerting""
Proposed translations
+3
5 hrs
Selected
(is / can be slightly) off-putting / disconcerting
I'm sorry, but I don't think "distancing" is natural here, either as an adjective or as a noun. I don't believe someone would write that this person's way of criticising people "produces a slight degree of distancing".
"Distanciamiento" refers not to the candidate himself but to the people he criticises: it refers to the effect of his manner on them.
What it's saying is that he delivers critical judgements to people very directly. The implication is that he is brusque, he gives it to them straight, and the result is "distanciamiento", meaning that the people he's talking to are "distanciados" by it. This word really means alienated, almost repelled (though that would be too strong):
"2. m. Enfriamiento de la relación amistosa y disminución de la frecuencia en el trato entre dos personas."
http://lema.rae.es/drae/?val=distanciamiento
"distanciar
2. tr. Desunir o separar moralmente a las personas por desafecto, diferencias de opinión"
http://lema.rae.es/drae/?val=distanciar
To me, the natural word to use is "off-putting"; another reasonable choice would be "disconcerting":
"off-putting
that puts one off : repellent, disconcerting <an off–putting attitude>"
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off-putting
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Note added at 6 hrs (2015-07-08 08:24:10 GMT)
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It's close to "offensive": the way he delivers criticisms tends to upset people, to offend them, to alienate them. It's important to get this right, because of course it's a negative point in the assessment of his managerial skills.
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Note added at 6 hrs (2015-07-08 08:28:33 GMT)
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"Can be a bit off-putting" is a mild and discreet way of saying it, which I think is right; we don't want the negativity of the statement to be stronger than it is in the Spanish.
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Note added at 12 hrs (2015-07-08 14:56:06 GMT)
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Although I don't agree with Pat, and I don't think "distancing" is a suitable word to use, I admit that to be "distanciado" is not quite the same as to be disconcerted. I think I would after all stay with my first idea, "off-putting".
Even in Pat's reformulation (which is an improvement on the literal version), "can cause listeners to distance themselves" is awkward and unidiomatic, and in my opinion it simply doesn't capture what the writer is expressing by "distanciamiento". It reads like a lame translation to me.
And I have to say that although one interpretation of "distanciamiento" is cool withdrawal, I don't think that's the usual response to direct criticism; I think most people are upset and in some degree alienated by it. So I think "distanciamiento" is more to do with the definition of "distanciar" I've quoted in my answer: "Desunir o separar moralmente a las personas por desafecto, diferencias de opinión".
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Note added at 1 day8 hrs (2015-07-09 10:35:58 GMT) Post-grading
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Thanks, MEW. I'm very glad you found it useful, and after all the debate with Pat I'm happy to forget about "disconcerting"!
"Distanciamiento" refers not to the candidate himself but to the people he criticises: it refers to the effect of his manner on them.
What it's saying is that he delivers critical judgements to people very directly. The implication is that he is brusque, he gives it to them straight, and the result is "distanciamiento", meaning that the people he's talking to are "distanciados" by it. This word really means alienated, almost repelled (though that would be too strong):
"2. m. Enfriamiento de la relación amistosa y disminución de la frecuencia en el trato entre dos personas."
http://lema.rae.es/drae/?val=distanciamiento
"distanciar
2. tr. Desunir o separar moralmente a las personas por desafecto, diferencias de opinión"
http://lema.rae.es/drae/?val=distanciar
To me, the natural word to use is "off-putting"; another reasonable choice would be "disconcerting":
"off-putting
that puts one off : repellent, disconcerting <an off–putting attitude>"
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off-putting
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Note added at 6 hrs (2015-07-08 08:24:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
It's close to "offensive": the way he delivers criticisms tends to upset people, to offend them, to alienate them. It's important to get this right, because of course it's a negative point in the assessment of his managerial skills.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 hrs (2015-07-08 08:28:33 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
"Can be a bit off-putting" is a mild and discreet way of saying it, which I think is right; we don't want the negativity of the statement to be stronger than it is in the Spanish.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 hrs (2015-07-08 14:56:06 GMT)
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Although I don't agree with Pat, and I don't think "distancing" is a suitable word to use, I admit that to be "distanciado" is not quite the same as to be disconcerted. I think I would after all stay with my first idea, "off-putting".
Even in Pat's reformulation (which is an improvement on the literal version), "can cause listeners to distance themselves" is awkward and unidiomatic, and in my opinion it simply doesn't capture what the writer is expressing by "distanciamiento". It reads like a lame translation to me.
And I have to say that although one interpretation of "distanciamiento" is cool withdrawal, I don't think that's the usual response to direct criticism; I think most people are upset and in some degree alienated by it. So I think "distanciamiento" is more to do with the definition of "distanciar" I've quoted in my answer: "Desunir o separar moralmente a las personas por desafecto, diferencias de opinión".
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Note added at 1 day8 hrs (2015-07-09 10:35:58 GMT) Post-grading
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Thanks, MEW. I'm very glad you found it useful, and after all the debate with Pat I'm happy to forget about "disconcerting"!
Note from asker:
| Thank you very much for the master class, Charles! |
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: ""Can be slightly off-putting" is perfect, Charles. Thank you so much!"
+3
2 mins
David Hollywood
Native in English
worked for int. orgs (IMF, OAS, IDB)
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
172
distancing
literal is ok here IMO
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Note added at 2 mins (2015-07-08 02:26:03 GMT)
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or: disenvolvement
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Note added at 6 mins (2015-07-08 02:29:06 GMT)
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if we want to go literary: alienation as in Brecht's "Verfremdung" = alienation
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Note added at 11 mins (2015-07-08 02:34:30 GMT)
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I would go with "distancing"
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Note added at 2 mins (2015-07-08 02:26:03 GMT)
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or: disenvolvement
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Note added at 6 mins (2015-07-08 02:29:06 GMT)
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if we want to go literary: alienation as in Brecht's "Verfremdung" = alienation
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Note added at 11 mins (2015-07-08 02:34:30 GMT)
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I would go with "distancing"
Note from asker:
| Thank you so much, David! |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
JM González
: I like both "diistancing" an "disinvolvement". I also thought "withdrawal" but that could be related to substance dependency. I'm not sure it works in this context.
35 mins
|
| agree |
EirTranslations
1 hr
|
| agree |
patinba
: Distancing is the right word, but it might need elaboration "can cause listeners to distance themselves" for example.
10 hrs
|
1 hr
Danik 2014
Brazil
Brazil
Brazil
German, English, Spanish to Portuguese!
Native in: German (Variant: Germany) 
, Portuguese (Variant: Brazilian)
Works in: German to Portuguese, English to Portuguese, English to German, and 2 more.
Aloofness
"Aloofness is a noun meaning a state of being distant, remote, or withdrawn. Someone showing aloofness might be shy, or just really doesn't want to be around people."
http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/aloofness
http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/aloofness
+1
13 hrs
Octavio Garcia
Mexico
Mexico
Native in Spanish
&
English
Specializes in field
Mexico
Reliability and Experience
Native in: English (Variant: US) , Spanish (Variant: Mexican)
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English, English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
estrangement
In this context I think that some of my peers have it very close but this term will be a more appropriate one.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Jesstee
: I think estrangement or alienation , would be correct to use in this sense
2 days 4 hrs
|
16 hrs
veronicaes
Native in Spanish
Certified Legal Translator & Interpreter
Native in: Spanish (Variants: Latin American, Argentine)
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
creates certain distance
as regards the verb and mode, the Spanish original is indicative, so I would use an indicative verb like CREATES (also PRODUCES, SPAWNS).
as regards "distanciamiento", the concept in DISTANCE is the same in both languages, with the same connotations, so I think it´s appropriate.
as regards "un leve grado", CERTAIN qualifies it perfectly.
as regards "distanciamiento", the concept in DISTANCE is the same in both languages, with the same connotations, so I think it´s appropriate.
as regards "un leve grado", CERTAIN qualifies it perfectly.
2 days 17 hrs
Alienation
As I would understand the text
Reference comments
12 hrs
Reference:
Distanciamiento
Alejamiento afectivo o intelectual de alguien en su relación con un grupo humano, una institución, una ideología, una creencia o una opinión. (DRAE)
OED for distance : Aloofness, reserve.
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Note added at 12 hrs (2015-07-08 14:40:36 GMT)
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Nothing to do with "emotional disturbance" or "disturbing the composure of" in other words.
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Note added at 12 hrs (2015-07-08 15:00:33 GMT)
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Yes Charles, he does put people's backs up, and they withdraw. How you get to translate that as "disconcerting" is what mystifies me.
OED for distance : Aloofness, reserve.
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Note added at 12 hrs (2015-07-08 14:40:36 GMT)
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Nothing to do with "emotional disturbance" or "disturbing the composure of" in other words.
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Note added at 12 hrs (2015-07-08 15:00:33 GMT)
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Yes Charles, he does put people's backs up, and they withdraw. How you get to translate that as "disconcerting" is what mystifies me.
Peer comments on this reference comment:
| neutral |
Charles Davis
: How about "desafecto" (see distanciar)? That's what it's about; he puts people backs up. // To be fair, my first proposal was "off-putting", which you haven't mentioned. I think that's what I'd use; "disconcerting" may be too free.
3 mins
|
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Yes, I certainly do think it is what the author says. If someone comes at you hard with criticism, a common reaction is to step back and clam up, which is not a desirable reaction when you want a positive response and discussion from a subordinate.
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